Samsung, step aside because the Galaxy Note may be a thing of the past if ZTE is indeed working on a 5.9-inch Windows Phone ‘phablet’.

ZTE is rumored to be in the process of developing a 5.9-inch 1080p WP8 smartphone. However, Microsoft has not confirmed support for 1080p devices, but chances are full HD support will be announced sometime in the near future if the Redmond-based software maker does indeed want to stand on even grounds with Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS. That said, all other important details regarding ZTE’s rumored phablet such as the CPU, RAM, and storage is currently unknown.

Steve Ballmer confidently said that sales of Windows Phone 8 hardware should pick up rapidly.

"We are still relatively small. … I expect the volumes on Windows Phone to really ramp quickly," Ballmer said at a WP8 launch event in Tel Aviv, Israel.

The latest from the IDC has Windows Phone market share at 2.0% of the total smartphone market. Android and iOS on the other hand still controls the majority of the market with 75% and 14.9%, respectively, as of Q3.

Microsoft is pouring a lot man power and money into pushing Windows 8 as well as Windows Phone 8 platforms into the hand of consumers. Partnerships with major carriers from around the world such as DoCoMo and AT&T imply such, but it remains to seen whether or not consumers are inclined to ditch the two-headed mobile behemoth that is ‘Goople.’

AT&T announced earlier this week that the Nokia Lumia 920 (the flagship among WP8 flagships) will go for $99, with a contract of course. If the cheap Lumia 920 price tag is not enough to entice consumers to switch, then how about the entry-level Lumia 820 for $49? The pricing and marketing strategies are set in place, but again, it is up to consumers whether or not they will walk out with a WP8 gadget in hand once it’s all said and one.

One of the biggest drawbacks to adopting WP8 platform is that the Microsoft app marketplace is nowhere near the levels of Apple’s and Google’s. Microsoft is, too, pushing and wooing developers to make apps for Microsoft.

As for the rumored ‘phablet’ from ZTE, the market for this particular niche is still young, so it will not hurt Microsoft or OEMs to take a stab at it and see where it takes them.